Mack Hollins is eager to show the Eagles he is special as a receiver, too
The fourth-round draft pick has already earned praise for his special-teams play.
Roommates must compromise, but the college roommates of new Eagles wide receiver Mack Hollins drew the line at a pet alligator.
The Eagles used a fourth-round pick on Hollins, a 6-foot-4, 221-pound Maryland native who went to North Carolina and gives the Eagles a rookie with an intriguing size-speed combination, proven special-teams ability - and a fascination with exotic animals.
Hollins might be living the dream job of most football-playing children, but on his college profile his listed dream job was owning a world-renowned aquarium. When he watched the Eagles pick him Saturday, it was in the company of two pet snakes. And these weren't garden variety snakes, either. He owns a ball python and a sunglow boa constrictor. He's had turtles in the past. If not for those roommates, he would have spent more time with an alligator. His father grew up with a pet lion in a backyard cage in Ohio.
"I don't know how Philly will feel about some of the exotic animals," Hollins said. "But I might have to get a couple."
If Hollins can run and catch the way the Eagles hope, he might never need to pay for a ticket to the zoo or aquarium again.
The Eagles thought Hollins would have been worthy of second-round consideration if a broken collarbone did not end his senior season for the Tar Heels after seven games. Hollins finished with only 16 catches last season and just 81 catches during the last three years, so he was far from a prolific receiver who usually earns a high-round distinction. But he averaged 20.6 yards per catch and reached the end zone 25 percent of the times he caught the ball. So he has big-play ability that the Eagles can hone.
"I don't think there is anybody who is a better deep threat than me in adjusting to deep balls and catching deep passes," Hollins said. "Also, with my speed, I think people underestimate my ability to run routes. Obviously, I can get better, but I think I am a better route runner than people think. With my speed, I can get defensive backs out of their pedal and turning their heads quicker."
His speed was measured at 4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, which was the fastest of any wide receiver of at least 220 pounds. Howie Roseman said that when Joe Douglas' scouting staff had spring meetings, Hollins was a player discussed as "what we want to be."
"He's 6-4. He can run. Physical receiver. Can go up and get the football, and then he brings a lot to the table other than that as well," said Roseman, the Eagles' executive vice president of football operations.
The "other than that" was likely a reference to Hollins' special-teams ability, which was praised by draft analysts as being perhaps the best in the draft class. Roseman indicated that Hollins can find a role on the 46-man game-day roster as a rookie because of what he brings to the kickoff and punt units.
That's how Hollins first made it onto the field at North Carolina, too. He was a walk-on who redshirted as a freshman. If he wanted to make the traveling roster, he needed to play on special teams.
"After my freshman year on special teams, I became a captain, and . . . I will never forget that special teams is how I played and how I got my opportunity," Hollins said. "I started on all four [special-team units] my entire career, but I love special teams. You have one opportunity, one play, to make a difference, and I take that play very seriously."
But Roseman was careful to avoid the perception that the Eagles invested a fourth-round pick in a player because he can cover kickoffs. Roseman emphasized that the receiving ability is why Hollins appealed to the Eagles, and the organization thinks he can develop into a starter.
"Tremendous upside as a receiver, and he's got the intelligence and work ethic to work on whatever his deficiencies are," Roseman said. "In the meantime, he has a role to fill [on special teams], and you can get him on the field on the 46-man roster. But we're not looking to draft [just] special-teams players in the fourth round."
Hollins won't need to introduce himself to his new quarterback. He caught passes from Carson Wentz earlier this offseason, and that will resume this summer. But he still might need to introduce Wentz to his pets, which Hollins plans to bring with him from his Maryland home.
"It is nothing but [a two-hour] drive, so I will put them in the car and load them up," Hollins said. "I might come with nothing but the snakes."
Two are waived. The Eagles waived injured defensive tackle Aziz Shittu (knee) and wide receiver Dom Williams (Achilles tendon). The leaves the roster at 82 players, including draft picks.
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